2015 Kia Sorento — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 23,601 MOT tests, the 2015 Kia Sorento recorded an 83.4% pass rate. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 2.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (5.4%) and brakes (5.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, pins and bushes and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 876 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 28.7% once past 150k — 3.6× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 5.4% | 1,282 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.0% | 1,181 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.7% | 1,118 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 1,033 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 552 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.2% | 522 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 876 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 688 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 537 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 534 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 503 |
| 6 | Wipers | 461 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.7% | 5,837 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.7% | 5,359 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.3% | 3,601 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.7% | 2,285 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 887 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 629 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 823 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 7,477 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 9,566 | 17.1% |
| 90-120k | 4,362 | 21.1% |
| 120-150k | 1,132 | 23.9% |
| 150k+ | 240 | 28.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 23,552 | 16.6% |
| Petrol | 49 | 16.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,631 | 13.8% |
| 2022 | 4,642 | 14.1% |
| 2023 | 4,732 | 16.4% |
| 2024 | 4,808 | 18.5% |
| 2025 | 4,788 | 20.1% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Sorento
On a 2015 Sorento, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (5.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (5.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Tyres (4.7% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2015 Kia Sorentos pass their MOT?
83.4% of the 23,601 2015 Kia Sorento MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Kia Sorento?
Suspension, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by brakes (5.0%).
Does the 2015 Sorento get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 28.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 23,601 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.